The British Labour Party and the Establishment of the Irish Free State, 1918–1924

By: Ivan Gibbons

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Synopsis: In the period immediately after the First World War both the British Labour Party and revolutionary Irish nationalism were in a state of transition, metamorphosing from opposition towards becoming the governments of their respective states. In opposition Labour and the emergent forces in nationalist Ireland had a broadly sympathetic relationship with each other. However, the Labour leadership was always aware of the political risks in Britain of too close an identification with militant Irish nationalism. In government for the first time in 1924 it was determined to establish its credibility as a prudent, responsible and patriotic governing party. Its relationship with the new Irish Free State was predicated on this principle to the extent that Labour's Irish policy became little different to that of previous British governments particularly on the controversial question of the Irish Boundary Commission.